“The biggest demand is coming from the
Great Lakes, the East Coast, Florida and
Texas,” says Reeves. “And there is growing
interest in other markets, like South America,
Australia, Europe and even places like Turkey.”
Reeves says SUP is attracting a whole
new crowd to the world of watersports, which
has him convinced the sport is much more
than a passing fad.

“SUP has moved way past surfer dudesand the core-workout crowd,” he tells TheCostco Connection. “The main market now isthe 40-year-old family man who wants to getout on the water and have some fun with hiswife and kids.”Matt Zilinskas agrees. As marketingmanager of SUP board supplier Agit GlobalInc., he attributes the rapid growth in thepopularity of stand-up paddle boarding toeasy access and healthy fun.

“What was once a sport you only saw in
Hawaii and California is now visible on lakes,
rivers and beaches across North America,”
says Zilinskas. “For almost anyone, the dream
of being able to ride a board on the water is
now a reality.” C

Stand-up guy Mark Cardwell is a freelance
journalist and writer in Quebec City.

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